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SHB and a community feeder

I feed my home yard using a five gallon community feeder. As I was removing it for a refill I noticed a handful of dead/dying shb around it. When I turned it rightside up hundreds more fell out of the feeding lip (I didn't get a pic of this as most of them fell into the grass…but did get a pic of the ones that fell back into the bucket). Interesting…to me anyway.
Also I’ve added some pics of the construction and use to answer a request from another thread.

SHB on the platform after removing bucket.

Beetles that fell back into the bucket after removing the cover.

Holes drilled for feeding.

Fill the bucket.

Put cover on.

Return to feeding location, invert….and within one minute, in my yard…bees!

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: SHB and a community feeder

Originally Posted by D.A.S.

yellow jackets will go to it but not the bees.

I know I'm feeding the local population of yj (and ants, etc) but they are a small proportion of the visitors...by far the greatest number are honey bees. I'm also feeding the neighboring ferals...but am happy to do that as well.
The attraction of the syrup feeder to shb is, again, interesting to me.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: SHB and a community feeder

Same here, I am surprised such a large amount of beetles are attrached to syrup. So I guess the dead ones drowned? Two weeks ago I found a hive full of bees and honey with no brood and no pollen (and I mean none) even during the goldenrod flow. I tore 3 boxes down during the inspection and only saw 1 beetle. I believe if the bottom box had been full of pollen like it should have been the beetles would have already taken it. I gave it a queen and a small amount of protein patty, checked it Saturday and she was out and laying. Just goes to show that some hives will collect pollen when they are queenless and some won't, you can't judge whether it is or isn't just by looking at bottom board activity.
Thanks for the pics, like your feeder.

Originally Posted by beemandan

I know I'm feeding the local population of yj (and ants, etc) but they are a small proportion of the visitors...by far the greatest number are honey bees. I'm also feeding the neighboring ferals...but am happy to do that as well.
The attraction of the syrup feeder to shb is, again, interesting to me.

Re: SHB and a community feeder

Originally Posted by dirt road

What size are the holes? Also, I assume the holes would need to be below the edge of the lid when the bucket is inverted?

Hole size? I don't really even notice the bit size. I simply don't use a tiny bit but pick one that looks small. As long as they're relatively small, I don't think it matters.
Below the edge of the lid? I'm not sure I understand. You see about where I placed mine? The main thing, in my mind, is to place them as near the top (when rightside up) without ruining the lid's ability to snap firmly closed...you wouldn't want it to pop off when you're inverting it.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: SHB and a community feeder

It stops pretty quickly Cam. I took the photo just a few minutes after inverting the bucket. One of the reasons I put it on top of a tcover is so that much of the dribble is still available for the bees.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards